Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-09-02
The Staunton Vindicator
LOCAL.
A GOSPEL TENT.
A FREE GOSPEL AT THE COR.
NER OF BEVERLEY AND
STAFFORD STREETS.

STAFFORD STREETS.
At the corner of Stafford and Beverley
streets. in the enclosed lot opposite the res
idence of Capt. Chas Grattan, is whit
tent with benches capable of seating 20,
persons. On the side of the entrance i
the quotation, "It is appointed once t,
die; but after that the Judgment. Inside
is low box platform and on each side O
it some camp chairs. On the platform is
large box which holds the tools for put
ting up and taking down the tent. AROUND
the inner walls of the tent are quotations
from the Bible in large letters, such al
Except man be born again he cannot
enter the Kingdom of God" 1--WE have
redemption through His blood, the for
giveness Of SINS" sDost thou believe in
the Son of God, all that believe are justi
fed from all things.'' and the like.
On court day. two men of quiet and
most respectable appearance we're going
through the court-day crowd distributing
tracts. and they published on Friday the
announcement that this tent would be
open for gospel services and there would
be no collections taken up. For the adj
vertisement making the announcement,
the Evangelist who brought it to the VIM
DICTATOR paid in business-like way, a
marked departure from the usual custom
of asking for free insertions of religious
notices. On Sunday afternoon the tent was
opened for the first service. 1t was con-
Quoted by the two Evangelists and con-
listed of singing. prayer and familiar re-
ligious talks but no sermon. AT night
the tent was again open. and the attend
ance was so large that more were waiting
outside of the tent than were inside,
though many of those inside were stand
ing up.
On Monday afternoon, a reporter of the
VINDIGAToR called on the Evangelists to
hear what two men had to say, who
paid their own expenses and gave the gos-
pei absolutely free. One is tall. slender
man, who has decided impediment in his
speech and whose pronunciation is marked
by the place of his birth, the North of
Ireland. This was VIM. Mathews. who
has been travelling as an Evangelist for
eight years. His companion, short and
stouter man with heavy beard is James
Campbell, native of Scotland.
''The people here have taken the idea
that you gentlemen are detachment of
the Salvation Army; are you connected
with any religious organization ?' asked
the reporter.
s'No," replied Mr.. Mathews, who SEEM
ed to be the spokesman of the two, "we
have no connection with the Salvation
Army. nor are we connected with any re-
There are only we two and we have start
ed out in this Evangelical work and have
alone kept it up. We speak at our meet
ings alone of Christ crucifed."
''Well, how do you pay your way; who
helps you?' asked the reporter.
''We find that God attends to that. We
take up no collections and we never even
hint for money to be given US, but we find
that we always have money to pay our
way
dOW 1Op6 WIZ Joo ouoSI
s'Just as long as God shows us that we
are doing good to souls. We should have
liked to have had our tent down in tie heart
of the city, but we could find no vacant
lot"
sly es, that would have been better; you
would then have gotten into your tent
some rather rough characters and that is
one sort you would like to get at, I sup
pose"
eyes, we should like to have them come
sassd we wish we were where they congre.
gate"
Both of the Evangelists seemed to be
very earnest, and deeply interested men in
their work. Their familiarity with the
Bible reminds one of that exhibited by
the Bible Training Glasses of the Young
Mems Christian Association, which gave
.recitations here during the State conven
ttion. AT the conclusion Of the interview
one of them walked with our representa-
stive over to the tent (theY board at the
house corner of Stafford and Beverly
etreet) to look at the inside. Seeing the
heavy benches, tent poles and the like
the reporter said:
"This is pretty heavy lot Of baggage to
carry around. Do you, two, pay the
freight on it %
"Yes,'' replied Mr.. Mathews; 1--WE pay
for everything"
MI. Mathews said that they had bad
their tent up in Chicago. Pittburgh, Phi
aadelpbia, and other cities-staying ar
unusually long time in Philadelphia. This
was the first time they had come South.
s'Of course" said Mr.. Mathews, ''beipa
from Europe we could not under
stand exactly The relation between
the whites and blacks at the South
and on Sunday night we set row
of seats for the colored people apart from
the whites. But | hear of some complaints
from the whites who do not like it ever
that way. What would you suggest p
The reporter suggested that separate
meetings would be much better; that th'
whites and blacks at the South hat
churches of their own and didn't WORSHIP
together at any time. and both would
prefer separate meetings. The Evangelis
said he would adopt that plan.
The tent meetings are held every weel
nlgsht, Except Saturday. at 7.45, and OF
Sunday at 8 P. M. and 7.45 P. N.
Business Changes.
Staunton ia undergoing general shak